The authors compiled a floristic checklist for 31 counties in
northern Ohio and assigned rankings of 1 to 10 to native taxa based
on their degree of fidelity to a range of synecological parameters.
The floristic index for 2,063 plant species provides a tool to
assess the quality of naturalness or presence of conservative
species, allows for an objective numerical comparison of two or more
unrelated community types, and reflects numerically the impact of
human disturbance by taking into account the presence of alien taxa.

This pamphlet discusses the Ohio Natural Heritage Inventory,
which provides information on rare and endangered animals and
plants, exemplary natural communities, and special geologic
features. It states how the inventory can be used, inventory
limitations, and what information is available. Prospective data
users should obtain data request forms from: